FRIDAY 9TH SEPT.,2016

TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING YOUR TEMPTATIONS (1)
TEXT: MATT 6:13 “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever Amen.

The word temptation in (Greek peirasmoi) refers to some form of difficulty or pressure in our lives( from Satan and the world).So it is not from God, but sometimes are brought in to our lives so that, God can test the sincerity of our faith for He has confidence in our
commitment to Him. Many of us suffer unnecessarily because of our misperceptions about temptation. Firstly we expect our temptations to cease—or at least decrease. When the Israelites entered the promised Land they had the same expectation. They were surprised that the Canaanites were still in the land. So they got discouraged, thinking they must have gone the wrong way. ‘Surely this cannot be the land of promise. ‘ God’s Word makes it clear that the Christian life, from start to finish, is warfare. Paul says, we are called to ‘…wrestle…against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places’ (Ephesians 6:12 KJV), and your level of temptation increases as you draw closer to God.
Another insight; when Israel first left Egypt, God didn’t lead them through Philistine territory ‘though that was shorter. For God said, “…If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt” (Exodus 13:17 NIV). God understood their fledgling faith and protected them from their enemies, but later, when their faith had grown, He permitted them to face seven powerful nations. Just like the Promised Land, the promised life of victory requires you to deal with temptation and wrestle your way through to victory already won at the cross, believing that ‘….greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world’ (1 John 4:4 KJV). Indeed, their enemy’s attack proved that Israel was in the Promised Land. So experiencing temptations is proof you are Truly abiding in Christ- the supernatural energy and zeal to wrestle is given to us by God through Christ in prayers and His Word for deliverance from his tricks and schemes.

MEDITATION: 2 Cor 2:11-17; 1 Cor 10-13

STUDY THE BIBLE:
Jn 13:21-38; 2Chr. 19; Ps 78:38-55